The Fall
by shepsgirl72
Summary: Prompt taken from SGA H/C Challenges on LJ. Element Challenge. The story must have ONE and only one of the following elements as the main cause of hurt: earth, water, fire OR air. At least two members of the team must be hurt. Up to 1000 words.


**The Fall**

Admittedly, John hadn't realised how fierce the current was when he'd suggested they jump into the river. A dozen or so Wraith were closing in on their position, cutting off their route back to the 'gate, leaving them with little choice. Rodney, in his wisdom, had neglected to mention he was a poor swimmer until a split second before Sheppard's hand slammed between his shoulder blades, driving him over the sheer drop. That was why the colonel now felt compelled to rescue him while trying to keep his own head above the raging water. Dammit, wasn't there a single physical activity McKay was good at?

Sheppard swam with the flow, letting it carry him closer to McKay, catching up with squawking scientist just as he went under for the third time. After hauling him to the surface and taking a clubbing from Rodney's flailing arms, he finally made himself heard, telling his friend to relax his body and let him take over.

Rodney's wide, startled eyes met his momentarily – a snapshot of pure terror – before he did as John asked and let the colonel keep him afloat.

Around a hundred yards ahead, John could see both Teyla and Ronon fighting their own battles with the river. Their expressions reflected their terror along with their determination to survive. They tried and failed repeatedly to gain control of the direction the current was forcing them in, but they were staying up, and that was what really mattered.

As his side struck a craggy rock, Sheppard felt the wind knocked clean out of him. He sucked in a mouthful of freezing cold water in his attempt to replace the lost air, its incursion setting him gagging. He couldn't be sure, but he thought he might have cracked a rib or five, the pain was so immediate and intense. Yet, still he clung to McKay. He had to keep him afloat until the current hopefully calmed.

With no let up in sight, he heard Ronon's deep voice sputter that they should head for the bank. Yeah, like he could if he even wanted to. He couldn't even steer himself clear of the stony outcroppings rising from the river bed, so there was no way he could swim cross-current dragging a flaccid scientist along with him. He thought he heard Rodney gasping, 'Oh God,' but the sound was instantly lost amid the swirling, frothing river.

_Frothing? Oh crap!_

They were heading into rapids. And not _just _rapids...

'Falls!' he heard Ronon boom.

_No!_ No way was he going to get Rodney through this without letting go. 'Hold on, Rodney!' he yelled, coughing as the water spilled into his mouth and lungs. He turned so their backs were facing the drop, hoping Rodney would somehow remain in his grip and land on top of him, staying afloat.

The noise reached a crescendo, filling his head with the calamitous sound of thousands of gallons of water falling over the precipice behind him. Sheppard adjusted his grip on McKay's Tac-Vest, but the near freezing water had numbed his fingers and he could only guess if his grasp was firm enough.

Seconds before they took the fall, Rodney's cracked voice screamed, 'Oh my God! We are so scr—' John didn't catch the final word, but he didn't have to. He was screaming the exact same words in his own mind.

Suddenly, he was falling, water smashing into him, air ripped from his lungs. McKay slipped from his exhausted grasp. _NO!_

Then, the lights went out.

*****

John strained his lids open to brilliant sunshine, the sound of the falls nearby, and the uncontrollable urge to spit up water. He coughed and spluttered, clutching at his aching chest and sore ribs as what felt like half the waterfall poured out of his stomach.

As he lay back, Teyla's face loomed into view, smiling gently. Her hair was wavy from her grapple with the river, but had now dried, suggesting he'd been out for some time. 'How are you feeling, John?' she asked, brushing his hair back from his forehead.

He looked down at himself. Apart from the painful sternum and cracked ribs, he appeared to be in one piece. 'Okay, I guess.'

'Thought we'd lost you,' Ronon's voice rumbled. 'We spotted you floating face down in this backwater. Teyla had to resuscitate you.'

That explained his throbbing chest. Then, he remembered something. _Thundering water – fingers slipping –_

'Rodney?' he breathed, trying to sit up.

'Still here,' he heard the familiar voice call. Sheppard twisted his head in the direction of the sound and saw Rodney huddled in his damp uniform, a cut on his forehead, and his arm in a makeshift sling fashioned from Teyla's jacket.

'You made it,' John sighed with relief. 'Knew you would.'

McKay scowled back at him. 'No, thanks to you. What the hell were you thinking? We could have been smashed on rocks, eaten by huge, carnivorous reptiles, dragged down by the undertow –'

'Captured by the Wraith,' Ronon pointed out, giving John a grin and a wink.

'Well...well, yes. But honestly, Sheppard, next time can we check what's at the bottom of a drop before we take a fall? Did you not hear me say I don't swim so well? I thought I'd made my fear of water perfectly clear after the 'jumper crash...'

'You're welcome, Rodney.' Sheppard closed his eyes and relaxed to the familiar prattle of his humility-challenged friend. If he was whining this much he was basically fine...certainly nothing a quick visit to the infirmary couldn't fix. With any luck, the Wraith would think they'd drowned and in a few hours they could head back to the 'gate and go home for some TLC.

His sarcasm set Rodney off on another rant, but his friend's grumbling didn't worry the colonel one bit. If faced with the same situation again, he knew the truth; Rodney would take the fall over facing the Wraith any time.


End file.
